I Have You To Thank
by TheMusicLives
Summary: Post 118: Much "I Do" About Nothing - Chuck has sent Blair on to Tuscany alone, but is he really the same "Chuck Bass" he's always been? A One-Shot.


**A/N:** I searched this site for a **one-shot** like this and found none, so I went ahead and wrote it because this week's season finale left me feeling cold. I know we're supposed to be left wondering whether Chuck is the person that Blair needs him to be. That things will be more exciting if we see her blow up at him for ditching her, or that the angst will sustain us while they're apart. I needed some happy for them this week and it was even crueler that it was ripped away when I finally got it. So here are my thoughts on what happened after the episode, in my head, to give me peace of mind to get through the next few long months. Title comes from Gavin Degraw's "I Have You To Thank" off of his new, self-titled album.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl; If I did, Chuck and Blair would have their own spin-off, broadcast twenty-four hours a day, on HBO, so that we can get some decently bedroom scenes.**

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I Have You To Thank

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_**(Chuck's Suite)**_

_Chuck: Amelia. A moment?  
__Amelia: What's this?  
__Chuck: I was hoping we could discuss what you have planned for my room.  
__Amelia: And who are you?  
__Chuck: I'm Chuck Bass._

_**(Helipad)**_

_Ben: Everything all right?  
__Blair: Yeah, it's… its Chuck. I guess his dad is getting in late and he won't make the flight. But, he's booking something commercial.  
__Ben: Well, I'd be willing to flip you for the jump seat.  
__Blair: Bart did just get the jet reupholstered and I do like when the ladies make you those cookies. What's ten hours? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?_

* * *

Breathing deeply, Chuck let his phone slip from his hand and back down into his pocket. When he looked back up to the blonde in front of him, he felt good; with his pride restored he felt normal, the way he was before Blair got her claws into him. Amelia was the complete opposite of the Waldorf brunette that most would call his girlfriend and the perfect cure for monogamy.

If only he didn't feel like he'd made the biggest mistake of his life.

Closing the door that opened his suite to the hallway to give them privacy, he fought down the guilty lump rising in his throat. Where had that relieved feeling from moments before gone? He was doing the right thing, taking back his life; his actions were justified. Blair was asking too much of him.

It took only the time to turn around before the random blonde's lips brushed his and that was what he wanted, wasn't it? The icy chill that ran through his blood at her kiss, remorse and regret freezing his muscles with just how _wrong_ this really was, made him push her away.

Her blank eyes looked baffled, the place where intelligence usually shown behind Blair's gaze was completely void of thought. The thin lips won no contest over the brunette's pouty, supple mouth. Bottle blond strands hung limply down around her head where chestnut waves would have cascaded down _his_ girl's shoulders.

There was no comparison. There never would be.

Gritting his teeth, he hissed, "Get out."

Again, she looked at him with a cluelessness that would have thrilled his pre-Blair self, the one that took advantage of countless women and never remembered their faces, but all it did now was piss him off. "You are in the employ of my Step-Mother; do you want me to report you for sexual harassment of a minor?" With a glare and his words, he sent her on her way. The door closed behind her a second later.

Standing alone in his safe haven, Chuck knew that his father had been right about so many things, but wrong about most of the others. He already had changed, learned, grown from the person he'd been only a few short months ago, the one that his father still saw. Whether it was because of Blair or just a natural evolution he won't ever know, but it was fact.

What was he 'giving up' really? A different woman every night? He'd been with no one else since Blair; there hadn't really been anyone who could have wiped her imprint from his mind so he didn't see the point in bothering. She was ingrained in his psyche and made him run in the other direction of any available woman. He'd been _faithful_ to her memory even when she wouldn't come near him and now it looked as if he was going to give that up when he'd held her every night his father was gone.

There was the _sacrifice _of admitting that he'd been wrong to insult her and treat her as harshly as he did. To accept that his falling out with Nate had been his fault as well as hers, so he'd had no right to take his anger out on her downfallen spirit. He'd spent their previous week together trying to show her how he could behave and there had really been no effort required; all the niceties had all come naturally. Accepting his _responsibility_ in driving her away in the first place had been difficult, but he'd done it.

And here he was now, _considering her feelings_ as he'd failed to earlier when he thought she'd be better off without him. Deep down he was only trying to let her down now before she got too attached, since he couldn't change who he was. Now that he could acknowledge to himself that any shift had already occurred, it obviously hadn't been a big deal after all.

Blair had come back to the man as that he currently was and here he was, screwing it up again after only a week.

Yanking the phone from his pocket, he made every call possible until he was finally able to get instructions to the helicopter pilot.

Nothing was impossible for the son of Bart Bass; especially not yanking the second chance he'd been given back out of the trashcan where he'd thrown it.

Grabbing the remaining roses and his luggage he dashed through the door.

* * *

Blair was sitting in the helicopter, wishing that she had Chuck at her side. Sure, she had her flying companion, he'd finally told her his name was Ben, but she really wanted Chuck's fingers threaded through her own. He had a calming effect on her nerves that only came with the intimacy of time spent together.

His not being there really hurt more than she thought it would. When they'd taken off from the helipad, her heart had cracked a little in her chest, as if she'd never see him again. The pain was almost unbearable. He may be Chuck Bass, but he was also one of the only constant presences in her life, one of her best friends, and the person who'd finally taught her how love truly felt. He didn't know that yet, but telling him was on the to-do list for their vacation. She wanted him to know how much she cared and relied on him.

When the vehicle made a sudden turn, she couldn't stop herself from shrieking in shock. Damn. Where the hell _was_ Chuck when she needed him?

They descended to the top of a building, she would have probably recognized it if they all didn't look the same from up in the air above the city. The closer they got to landing, the clearer the figure standing on top of the tarmac covered roof became, and the squeal of happiness that escaped her mouth probably left no doubt as to whom they'd deviated course for.

She greeted her boyfriend with a smile when he opened the door. "Well, nice of you to finally join us." Leaning over to the seat he'd occupied, she pressed her lips to his.

* * *

The warmth from her touch was spreading through him when he pulled away to whisper, "I'm sorry I'm late." Kissing her was something that he'd never get used to. Before it had been taboo and now he had the right to indulge in the taste of her; the staggering thought that she belonged to him made his head swim and took his breath away.

When she started chattering away about her trip so far, he glanced around the cabin quickly before returning his attention to Blair. He felt a little pity for the other passenger, the guy looked a little crestfallen that Chuck had shown up. Out of the corner of his eye, he swore that the Suit from his father's marketing team was jealous. It looked like Chuck had shown up just in time; letting this guy think he had a chance with his girlfriend just wouldn't do.

Except he had almost given her up for the man he no longer was.

Looking down, he noticed their hands intertwined between their bodies. He brought the hand holding hers up and kissed the knuckles of her hand softly, just relishing the feeling of the ice melting from his heart at the touch of her skin.

Her tone was suspicious, "What was that for, Bass?" Using their joined hands, she tilted his chin up to meet her gaze, her chocolate eyes narrowed, "You're being too... Sweet."

Using his free hand to grab the roses from his carry-on bag, he smirked into her wide eyes, "I told you that you'd be so much more on me, didn't?" His smirk grew into a smile when she used her unoccupied hand to grab the bouquet rather than release his, "I'm just trying to remain true to my word."

The way she pursed her lips to hide her smile sent his blood rushing. "Well, don't try too hard," she spoke warningly while placing the roses on the seat beside her.

"And why is that, Blair?" His eyebrows somewhere near the stratosphere in shock.

Ignoring their company, her empty hand traveled up his thigh to tuck delicate fingers into his waistband, pulling his body closer. "Because if I wanted Nate, I wouldn't be here," her throaty whisper set his nerve-endings on fire with the promise her words held. "With you."

He hoped their companion was sufficiently uncomfortable, because he was likely about to get a show. "Really," he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her so that she was half-straddling him. "There's nothing you'd change? No instructions to divulge?"

Thinking for a moment while tracing his jaw with her teeth, she pulled away to catch his eye, "I have one stipulation: if you touch another woman after this moment, I'll castrate you and claim temporary insanity." Blair brought her mouth down to his earlobe and brought her hand under his shirt to stroke his skin as if she hadn't spoken a word.

"What if…" he really didn't want to, but she deserved to know, "What if some chick hit on me earlier today? And I almost gave in?" When her mouth froze mid-kiss, he hated himself for doing it to her.

Adjusting herself so that her she was kneeling on the seat next to him, she took his face into her hands. "Last I checked, almost doesn't count, Chuck," she kissed his forehead gently and whispered against it, "Besides, you're here now, aren't you?"

Pulling her down to sit in his lap, he held her close, "Yeah, I am."

"Then, Congratulations are in order… you finally passed a test without buying your way out."

He looked deep in her eyes, "So, Blair Waldorf is capable of forgiveness."

The response from her was lips nuzzling his ear, then fearfully quiet words: "Just don't screw me over, Chuck." She sighed before leaning into his embrace, "I may have been cheated on before… But, I never loved Nate this much."

Kissing her temple, he realized his decision _had_ been the right one; she was already in deep enough to be damaged by his immature abandonment. "I promise, Blair," he gritted his teeth in determination. "There's no one alive that could make losing you a worthy consequence."

She wanted him as he was; all the things about him that his father considered flaws were a part of the him that she loved. The man she chose to give everything to.

And with a deep breath, he chose to give her everything she deserved.

"And I love you, too."

* * *

_I have you to thank for making me so, so hard to please because you treated me so good...  
__I've made some mistakes, but I'm trying with perfect faith. __When I let you in I began to win and  
__now I'm just all gold. __After all I've done and the road I've run... __I want to thank you._

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**A/N:** Let me know what you thought... and if it brought you the peace of mind it did me.


End file.
